NBA back to Seattle? NHL too?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I know this is a REEL LINE MINT thought, but would the NHL benefit from drastic retraction? IceCap has a pretty scary list of unsustainable teams and I can't see how that league plans to exist in 30 years if they continue as is x infinity.

Sorry. I was in phone.

[rvrdgsfn]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/seattle-city-council-approves-deal-for-new-arena-to-attract-nba-nhl-teams/2012/09/24/7dbbb862-0699-11e2-9eea-333857f6a7bd_story.html

Passed 6-2, now the real fun begins.

[zpqmaowl]

http://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/9/24/3385284/seattle-arena-nba-nhl-edmonton-oilers

Chris Hansen might have a potential suitor for NHL relocation in the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers appear to be dissatisfied with current management. Our Edmonton SB Nation site The Copper & Blue has more on the situation*, which seems to be demanding that the city stand up for a new downtown arena or management will consider relocation once the current lease expires.

Coupled with the stories that are starting to trickle out of Seattle on Monday, naturally some rumors are popping up today about the Oilers potentially flirting with Seattle. According to Dave Mahler at KJR Radio, the team president and owner of the Oilers were in the city on Monday touring Key Arena. Additionally, former Oiler legend Wayne Gretzky is apparently in Seattle and will be visiting with Hansen sometime tonight.

An arena will probably take a few years to develop, but the Oilers are still a few years away from considering relocation. At the very least, it's looking like there is genuine interest in placing an NHL team in Seattle by at least one ownership group.

* http://www.coppernblue.com/2012/9/23/3376292/oilers-twitter-account-threatens-relocation

[colortv]

If the NHL were smart they would move some of these failing franchises to Seattle, Quebec City, Portland, and Salt Lake City.

[colortv]

A lot more information here on NHL team relocation for those interested:

http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=124

[rams80]

A lot more information here on NHL team relocation for those interested:

http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=124

[colortv]

I could see the MLS surpassing the NHL in 10 years with the way things are going.

[kw11333]

Bigger markets who were profitable have lost teams because they lack an arena. I hope Oilers fans don't brush this off their shoulders.

On the bright side Seattle is an actual hockey market, and hopefully this spawns Portland into getting a new arena, and getting a team.

[colortv]

I forgot to mention, add Milwaukee to Seattle, QC, Salt Lake City, Portland.

[aci]

If the Oilers get moved, it's a travesty. Even in 20 years, Rexall will still be a better financial draw than Phoenix, Florida, Dallas, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Columbus, and probably half a dozen other teams. I'm pretty sure if Bettman lets them move, some Oilers fan will probably kill either him or Katz.

[The_Admiral]

Despite what would be a "small market" in the U.S., the Oilers pay into revenue sharing. Also, hey, revenuesharingniks, where do you suppose shared revenue comes from in the NHL? Perhaps the Canadian television contracts, which fuel the league more than the American ones, and, when they come up for renewal soon, would surely decrease in value without a large and wealthy Western city. Better know where your subsidized bread is buttered, NASCAR Division.

[troy_3223]

A lot more information here on NHL team relocation for those interested:

http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=124

WHOA-whoa-whoa there, Zenith Trinitron - you're new here, so I'ma let you in on a little secret. Going to the hfboards for legitimate hockey information is a lot like rounding up all the homeless people at the bus stop by the library and soliciting investment advice.

That way madness lie.

[troy_3223]

http://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/9/24/3385284/seattle-arena-nba-nhl-edmonton-oilers

Chris Hansen might have a potential suitor for NHL relocation in the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers appear to be dissatisfied with current management. Our Edmonton SB Nation site The Copper & Blue has more on the situation*, which seems to be demanding that the city stand up for a new downtown arena or management will consider relocation once the current lease expires.

Coupled with the stories that are starting to trickle out of Seattle on Monday, naturally some rumors are popping up today about the Oilers potentially flirting with Seattle. According to Dave Mahler at KJR Radio, the team president and owner of the Oilers were in the city on Monday touring Key Arena. Additionally, former Oiler legend Wayne Gretzky is apparently in Seattle and will be visiting with Hansen sometime tonight.

An arena will probably take a few years to develop, but the Oilers are still a few years away from considering relocation. At the very least, it's looking like there is genuine interest in placing an NHL team in Seattle by at least one ownership group.

* http://www.coppernblue.com/2012/9/23/3376292/oilers-twitter-account-threatens-relocation

Just saw this on the local news - they mentioned that the Oilers ownership has done this before with other markets (Winnipeg, Hamilton, Quebec). A local reporter was hounding LaForge and asking him if they were seriously considering Seattle or just using this as leverage to try to force a new arena deal in Edmonton. There was no comment, naturally.

I can't see this as a serious bid to move the Oilers. This reminds me very much of when Jeff Smulyan threatened us endlessly about moving the Mariners to Tampa Bay (I remember fake baseball cards being made of Ken Griffey Jr. in a blue and red Tampa Bay Mariners uniform. I wish now that I had held onto those.)

I would really love an NHL team here, but I'd rather it be one without much of a history or fan base - or in the case of the Coyotes, a relocation that would actually benefit both cities involved. It would be hard to jump in and support the local team if it were a team like Edmonton.

[DarkJourney]

Bigger markets who were profitable have lost teams because they lack an arena. I hope Oilers fans don't brush this off their shoulders.

On the bright side Seattle is an actual hockey market, and hopefully this spawns Portland into getting a new arena, and getting a team.

Portland has a newer arena. The Rose Garden opened in 1995 and seats 18,000 for hockey.

[OMMF]

Bigger markets who were profitable have lost teams because they lack an arena. I hope Oilers fans don't brush this off their shoulders.

On the bright side Seattle is an actual hockey market, and hopefully this spawns Portland into getting a new arena, and getting a team.

Portland has a newer arena. The Rose Garden opened in 1995 and seats 18,000 for hockey.

And also needs renovations to its locker rooms, a new press box, and some other updates to make it an NHL arena.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

The Oilers are going nowhere. If they made it through the mid-90s-Canadian-dollar-was-worth-less-than-monopoly-money period, they'll make it now.

[gosioux76]

Bigger markets who were profitable have lost teams because they lack an arena. I hope Oilers fans don't brush this off their shoulders.

On the bright side Seattle is an actual hockey market, and hopefully this spawns Portland into getting a new arena, and getting a team.

Portland has a newer arena. The Rose Garden opened in 1995 and seats 18,000 for hockey.

And also needs renovations to its locker rooms, a new press box, and some other updates to make it an NHL arena.

A few years back, a group of local businessmen and the state sports authority had a few private meetings to discuss the possibility of attracting a NHL team to the Rose Garden. We haven't heard anything since, and I doubt we ever will.

Portland doesn't have enough corporate support to keep two winter sports franchises afloat. Any gain made by an NHL team would likely come at the expense of the Blazers, at least when it comes to corporate sponsors and suite leases.

On top of that, you have the issue of Blazers' owner Paul Allen also owning the stadium, giving him a lot of control over the situation.

[The_Admiral]

And to piggyback on that, Chris Hansen will own the Seattle arena, so that just means Katz would be subordinate to Hansen instead of Northlands. And what is Northlands, anyway? It seems like a cross between a Lions Club and the mob.

[kw11333]

Bigger markets who were profitable have lost teams because they lack an arena. I hope Oilers fans don't brush this off their shoulders.

On the bright side Seattle is an actual hockey market, and hopefully this spawns Portland into getting a new arena, and getting a team.

Portland has a newer arena. The Rose Garden opened in 1995 and seats 18,000 for hockey.

And also needs renovations to its locker rooms, a new press box, and some other updates to make it an NHL arena.

A few years back, a group of local businessmen and the state sports authority had a few private meetings to discuss the possibility of attracting a NHL team to the Rose Garden. We haven't heard anything since, and I doubt we ever will.

Portland doesn't have enough corporate support to keep two winter sports franchises afloat. Any gain made by an NHL team would likely come at the expense of the Blazers, at least when it comes to corporate sponsors and suite leases.

On top of that, you have the issue of Blazers' owner Paul Allen also owning the stadium, giving him a lot of control over the situation.

Not sure I agree with that. Blazers went like 20 years with consecutive sell outs, and the Timbers of the MLS have a long line of people trying to get season tickets. They also put up some of the best numbers in the WHL attendance wise.

But renovation is clearly needed.

BTW HATE Canadian media saying Seattle and Portland are not traditional hockey markets. Both cities have had some form of a team for over 100 years now. That pre dates: Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Saskatoon. Not saying they love hockey more than those cities, but they are defiantly hockey fans there. The city of Portland even picks up around 35 Canucks games on a local network.

[BBTV]

Bigger markets who were profitable have lost teams because they lack an arena. I hope Oilers fans don't brush this off their shoulders.

On the bright side Seattle is an actual hockey market, and hopefully this spawns Portland into getting a new arena, and getting a team.

Portland has a newer arena. The Rose Garden opened in 1995 and seats 18,000 for hockey.

And also needs renovations to its locker rooms, a new press box, and some other updates to make it an NHL arena.

A few years back, a group of local businessmen and the state sports authority had a few private meetings to discuss the possibility of attracting a NHL team to the Rose Garden. We haven't heard anything since, and I doubt we ever will.

Portland doesn't have enough corporate support to keep two winter sports franchises afloat. Any gain made by an NHL team would likely come at the expense of the Blazers, at least when it comes to corporate sponsors and suite leases.

On top of that, you have the issue of Blazers' owner Paul Allen also owning the stadium, giving him a lot of control over the situation.

Not sure I agree with that. Blazers went like 20 years with consecutive sell outs, and the Timbers of the MLS have a long line of people trying to get season tickets. They also put up some of the best numbers in the WHL attendance wise.

But renovation is clearly needed.

BTW HATE Canadian media saying Seattle and Portland are not traditional hockey markets. Both cities have had some form of a team for over 100 years now. That pre dates: Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Saskatoon. Not saying they love hockey more than those cities, but they are defiantly hockey fans there. The city of Portland even picks up around 35 Canucks games on a local network.

When people say "traditional hockey markets", isn't that just another way of saying "place where it snows heavy sometimes and ponds might freeze over"?